Ophthalmic lens



Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,308

E. 0. TILLYER OPHTHALMIC LENS Filed Aug. 2. 1922 INVENTOR 0 T/LLYEF Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,554,308 PATENT orrrcs.

EDGAR D. TILLYEB, OI SO'U'IHIBBIDGE, IASBACHUBE'ITS, ASIIGNOR 1'0 AMERICAN OPTICAL OOIPANY, F SOUTEBBIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A VOLUNTARY ASSOCIA- TION OI IASSACHUBETTS.

orn'rnanmrc rams.

Application filed August 2, 1922. Serial No. 579,208.

thalmic lenses and more particularly to what is known in the art as a bifocal lens.

The main object of my invention resides in new and useful construction in the manufacture of lenses whereinthe main body of the blank or distance portion of the lens is of one refractive index, while the button or reading portion is of a different refractive index and resides in novel'means whereby these two parts can be quickly and readily secured together to form a complete blank.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an ophthalmic lens wherein the main body blank as well as the button to be fitted thereto can be sold to the retail trade, it being understood that the buttons sold to the trade will be of various degrees with regard to the reading portion so that the retailer can readily fit up a bifocal lens by using a body blank of the pro r distance degree and attaching thereto a utton of a proper reading portion to provide a complete lens. p

A further ob'ect of my invention is the provision of a bifocal lens including a blank having an opening out there thru adapted to receive the button or reading portion which in turn is provided with a coating of very soft lass, Canadian balsam or any other suita le type of adhesive, which is rendered invisible after being adhered to set forth, pointed out in the claims and shown 1n the accompanying drawings, in which Figure I is a front elevation of a lens blank constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure II is a transverse sectional view of the blank.

Figure III is a side elevation fthe button used in connection with the blank shown in Figure I, and

Figure IV is a longitudinal section of the button thereto.

In carrying out my invention I provide a body blank 1' having formed therein an opening and it will be understood that this opemng 2 may be of any desired shape 1n accordance with the requirements of the trade. The body blank, 1 is preferably prov ded with a finished surface 3 and with a seml-finishedsurface 4. While I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a plano lens it will be understood that the same invention may be carried out with other types of lenses.

If found desirable the opening 2 which is formed in the main blank 1 may be tapered or the opening cut straight thru with parallel walls as shown in Figure II. The button 5 which, is referably of a different refractive index f f'om the body blank is provided upon one end with a substantially curved surface 6, this curved surface 6 being adapted to project beyond the face of the lens when the button'is placed in position within the opening 2.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the button '5 is provided upon its exterior with a coating indicated at 7 This coating 7 which is applied to the button is preferably of a very soft glass or may be of Canadian balsam if found practical or any other suitable or similar type of adhesive may be used.

After the button5 has been placed within the opening 2 in the main blank of the lens, the two parts are heated to a fusing point, the adhesive applied to the outer surface of the button 5 being rendered invisible thru the heat applied to the lens so that only the reading portion of the button 5 will be visi ble after the two parts of the lens have been adhered together.

These buttons 5 which I have shown as illustrating the coating applied formed separable from the blank 1 may be of various shapes if found desirable and are preferably to be constructed so as readily fit within the opening 2 1n the main blank 1. From this itwill be apparent that a retailer may have any number of blanks 1 of various distant portions, ion hand as well as various buttons so that when the case may require the proper button can be readily fitted to the proper distant portion of the lens and the two parts fused together and ground down to form a finished product.

It will be apparent from the above descriptions taken in connection with the illustrations in the drawings that I have provided a simple bifocal lens which will be inexpensive to manufacture but which at the same time will be completely effective in its use.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A bifocal lens including a body blank having an opening therethrough, a button adapted to be inserted within said opening, and a coating of soft glass applied to the exterior surface of the button whereby the button will become securely fastened to the blank upon the application of heat to the soft glass.

2. The process of making a multifocal lens, comprising finishing one surface of a piece of glass to a lens surface, placing an opening transversely through the surfaced glass, finishing one surface of another piece of glass to a lens surface, finishing th edges of the second piece of glass to the same peripheral contour as the opening in the first piece of glass, coating the pcripheral edges of the second piece of glass with soft glass, placin the second piece within the opening of t e first piece, heating the assembled pieces to fuse the soft glass tonnite the two pieces, and finishing the sides opposite the surfaced sides of the united pieces to a finished lens surface to make a complete multifocal lens.

3. A multifocal lens, including a body blank having an opening transversely therethrough, a second blank inserted in said opening and a coating of soft glass between the two, fused by heat to secure the two together.

4. A multifocal ,lens including a body blank having an opening transversely therethrough, a second blank inserted in said opening, a coating of soft glass between the two, fused by heat, to secure the two together, a finished lens surface on each of the pieces on one side, the two surfaces merging in a line around the opening, and a single lens surface over the two pieces on the opposite side.

EDGAR D. TILLYER. 

